Highway lighting system and apparatus therefor



July 12 1927. Y I 1,635,611

FR. DE LA LAMA IGHWAY LIGHTING ?S-YS TEM AND APPARATUSWHEREFOR v Filed.Sept. 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet].

M Roam AAMA 1 27. July 9 R. DE LA LAMA' HIGHWAY LIGHTING SYSTEM ANDAPPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Sept. 2.2. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gw'unloz 22 DE4/! LEM/ vii/11455111511 i thegcharacter just -o tli edgw isouroe es 5whole-ineludesfl.

.30 the light rays ere p i'oj eg ied dpwiiwardlyiwi I g V t which] may-be -supportedfiipon postsfoli;

- approximating ;a

PatentdYJ ly iZ 51-927? point arrangedet the; side ofthe highwayi;

- A" further ob ectis provide systeiii 50 f the icharaoter referred to 1wherein the light source extends throughout the width: of -,the highwayand inohides a jpluna lityof lighting: units -eda pted ;.-to project-relatively broad beams of -1ight in opposite, direetions for a i p qi tdi; l eithe h i eyf r aw flnsubstantial (listau e along the highway,each" begun comprising; diyergin'g rays, t he lower of which strikeothehighway reletiyely olose' t o'yihe light soufoe while'the upperreys Iare tiel "distenceq; f

further object i Wh Ph wli n e i i e i n [in sucha man'nerrthat thegreater, -rp,ortion.of

waifd it hehighwayzz g I A fl rt-hen obj Qpt. ie togproviole Qnovelappariftiis for um inati 'g highiiyeys and {he like wherein thelighting. 'sfr'uot ui'e;ieliri'g gedjflj Y g=iisubstantial distanceaboveendgsp ane for r 'aTehesYthe highwayg fpheilighfiifig stnuctufefbein i r vided thro' i-ghoug'itflengthltren ,xiers elyj of thealiighjiiey jyi it h "plurality of gligl itioupeesl edlpt'edgigogvproieotflbeaihs ,ofo'di -l'i o ,4. e tions dowe 1y;ofithe'highweyfefididownwEmily toilhimb. 3 7 ate sidewalke :01?thelik.errahgedjzidjaee fof aand pgmn i 'olhehigliwa r,

e n o tnam nta ilqgb ing.is uetureo' ith ;i

2 is: a section'jon line ofi Fig-f qg m e a[systenif of. herein thelight o v e'n a n a 'trgnslucen t 1i ht tmlismittih'g mediahehindf -iiis. we:

ough ahportion f g o Referring-to E gum; Lathe u a 0 des V lhel lightingappargatf 210 isshowii n th' end portions adj a-i. i h yy w i h arpor'fiio'hs of the light from the li ht o' i'ee o twe fdlytransverse i"to, provide. zifnovel;

p r atien mqs m beiy22, 1926:. eem; 137430.:

adap'tedtobe readily inserted-in positioni m mimiiorm mo,fmxxco;

wherein- Certain oi v the lightih'edia are gida ph edl col-bear lettersor other symbols of; any

desired character Withoiit materially inter-:1

faring with-the illuminating efiioieiiey ighe" g i apparatus; V v o wOther objecte and advantages-of the irivention will become apparentduring 7 the course "of the followingdescription. I .i v I In Qthe jdrawings I have s hownwloi e as semf bly-of apparatliselements. lii thisshowing T r I Figuregl. is

I Figure ure 1; i

a; perspectiye fview of fthe ap} Figure?) is e -oehti'al ieiti eali :7

View taken throughout the 'glengthflof lightingl pp a d a ed *imm. i 91: 7

line 0f Fig-5;;

porting means I the lighting apparetusi ig natesftihe' lighting;apparatus 53s 1 a, whole l standards ll farranged onopedestals 12. 5

apparatus as a whole is, a Tehgedw to span a highway 13; W1ththepedestals 12 arranged adj aoenjzjopposite. edges thereof; Itffiiillbe; v

position: with; respect to thehighweyg 1 arehwaylen The arohway; isshown ir secl y the;

106 presentie 'bodiment of theinventioh a s an; 7

tio i in 115 iglire 2 of [the di'awings iand' jih- 'clu'de'sz upper l'ndlower guidesglierrahged l atthegsides thereof toreceive'light triiemit-ilotif ting media-16 preferably compifisingl ample-5 1 'rality 3.[of glass sections .117, fThefiglg ss :I sec; 'tion'e; areslidable inIthe-guideways' i1 1 ord'eii -t et y ma e s's mbled iow' o lighttransmitting 3 media at; 'opposi'peiside of r i the archway? are.ipiieferehly ineliried'g d wnw id y: and. x -n i l weid; ly

fposite sides of the depending or downwardly projectingportion 21 alsoare preferably rovided with light transmitting media 23. f desired, theupper portion of the projection 21 may be suitably ornamented asindicated at 24. p

Referring to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, the numeral 25 designatesa cover for the lighting apparatus which secured at.

opposite edges to the upper guideways 15. It will be apparentthat thecover 25 secures the guideways in their proper positions, while theinwardly projecting portions 18 of thelower guideways 15 may be providedat :paced intervals with transverse braces 26.

At any desired points, the top 25 may be provided with doors 27 formingsubstantial continuations of the cover and hinged thereto as at 28.These doors provide access to the interior of the archway to render thelighting units to be described readily accessible. The top 25 issubstantially solid throughout the greater portion of its length,

butterl'ninates at opposite sides above the lowerextremity ofthe archwayas indicated at 29. j The inner surfaces of the cover 25 and doors 27are preferably polished to provide a reflecting surface. Below theextremities 29, the archway isprovided with outer light transmittingmedia 30 also comprising a plurality of glass sections 31. It will benotedthat the cover 25 is bent'in a line substantially centrally thereofand extending throughout its length whereby theinner refleeting surfacesthereof are formed substantially as coulc sections.

Suitablelighting units are arranged with in the archway as shown inFigure 8. A plurality of lighting units 32 are preferably arrangedthroughout the length of the arch "and secured against thecentralportion of the top or cover 25. These light sources are augmented atlntervals by a plurality of light sources 33 which extend inwardlysubstantially radially of the archway, while adjacent-the center of thearchway further lighting units 34 are provided the lower of which extenddownwardly into the projection21. The light sources 33 above theextremities: 29 of the top 25 preferably terminate above thecenters ofthe light transmitting media 16 whereby it will be apparent that thegreat majority of lighting units are arranged in the upper portion ofthe archway. i l .1

In Figures 1 and 5 of the drawings the light transmitting media 16havebeen shown as being provided with letters or other characters 35.These letters or the like may be employed for any desired purpose suchas for indicating the name of the highway, for advertising purposes, orthe like. The light transmitting media may be formed of any suitablematerial, but glass is preferably provided for this purpose and the bodyof the glass and the letters 35 may be suitably distinguished fromeachother in any desired manner by making the difierent portions of theglass translucent and opalescent respectively. The difference betweenthe body of the section 17 and the letters obviously is merely asuggested one, and it will be apparent that the portions of the glasssections may be distinguished from I each other in any suitable manner,it being understood that the material as employed is of such a characteras to permit the transmission therethrough of a considerable portion ofthe light rays from the light sources.

1 The operation of the apparatus is as fol- OVSI V The provision of thelight sources extending throughout the length of the lighting apparatus,that is throughout the width; of the highway, and the use of thetransmitting media 16 provides a beam oflight which is at leastcoextensive with the width of the road as distinguished from the usualpractics of employinga plurality ofisingle lamp posts each using asource of illumination which approximates a point from which light isradiated in all directions. The majority' of thelighting units arearranged above the median line of the lighttransmit ting members wherebyit willbe apparent that the beams comprise light rays, the ma-x jorityof which will be cast downwardly to; no diverge so that light willbe'cast upon the highway from points in proximity to the ward the roadThese rays will of. course lighting apparatus to points along the high:

way remote therefrom. The use of the re: flectmg surfaces within thecover 25 and doors 2'? serves to utihze ajgreat portion of the lightrays which are projected upwardly and these lightrays are reflecteddownwardly towardthe highway as indicated in Figure 2. The reflectingsurfaces serve to greatly increase the efficiency of the apparatus as ia whole. These reflecting surfaces also interceptrays of light which areprojected upwardly from the light sources arrangedbes neath theextremitiesl29 of the cover; and these upwardly projectedraysalso willbe redirected to some portion ofthe roadway.

In order to. furnish a considerable portion oflight directlybeneaththe:archway, the light transmitting media19areemployed,

{dire t light frorii; the li'ghtiiig sources will pass;therethroughnq'In; order to illumi'- nate" adjacent portions ofsidewalksv and the like 1 provide the light transmittingimedia; anditwill'beiapparent'that'a considerasired purpose; as, previously stated;It is to be funderstood, however; that the "light transrnittinginedialfiis of such acharacter as to transmit the "greater; portion 'of'the"light rays rojectedltheretog The'projection 2'1 bleportion of lightwill becastuponsu'chsidealk through the glass sections- 31, at. points 1adjacent the lighting apparatus, whilesufficientlightwilldivergebutwardly from the, highway lighting beams to flightTdistant, or remote points along. the sidewalks. T-he. characters v maybe employedf for any deprov ded: partly for purposesi'otornamentathrough the glasses i23tofassist in illuminatti'o'n andpartly-' for the==piirpose of increas-" @ing the illumination. Aportionof the light 7 fro'msome of the "sources 32"as well as light Ifrom the sources 34 .will: be projected ing the roadway, while the innerlight transmitting'media 19 will serve'toilluminate the width-of "thehighway adj acent thev lightin pparatus. v I, a

1. 'From' the foregoing it will be apparent .thattheapparatusf describedprovides a s'ys-' tem of illuminating highways and: the like wherein arelatively 'broadibeaniof lightex tending'substantially across theentire width 7 of the roadway -is controlled in such a -n1an-- nate; thehighway from points adjacent the 'froYn. .l w a I The structuralvelernents oil the V apparat-us v are 1 adapted Tto 7 bere'adilyassembled; In H practice, thejlowerends ofthe casing aref vpreferablyclosedbyareinovable platestop r oa vide' access 'tothefinterior of the casing. and;

; tothe'guid eways'15whereby the glass plates I guideways and moved-t0their proper posiner; as to project "diverging rays the majority of.which willbe cast downwardly toillumi-f.

lighting apparatus; to; points remote there may .beiisuccessivelyintroduced into the tions, The interior offthe'casingis' readily.'accessible}th'roughthe 'dOOlS 27 which are arrangedsufficiently closetogether to permit any of the .lighting ,units to) be reached wherebyvthey maybe replaced inth u'sual -"mannerv ,-It isto be inventionherewith shown and' described is to I beta ken as'a preferred example-ofthe same I and that variouschanges in the-shape, size j r andarrangement ofpartsm'ay be resorted to; vwithout departing fromthe'spirit of' t'he invention or the scope of the subjoined claiin'sfunderstood form of the Iclaim:

I, 1. Apparatus said casing, light transmitting 'media aroffthe'character described comprisin a casing adapted to be arranged] I aboveahighwayitransversely thereof light v 1 transmitting mediajarranged atthesidesof I plates;

casing, the 1 maj (mayor said ,unitsbein'g arranged: above a linethrough the" centers of gsai'd first 1 named light transmittingmedia,1;; j 2.1Apparatus {of the character described :cOrnp'risingar-casing'adaptedtobe arrangedfg I above a hig hway {transverselythereof and -i gprovided withq-"a cover portion ha ving irange'd; atthe. end portions or casing substantially above the edges" offthe Thigh;

way to' itrans'mit light-gv outwardly thereof vsulostan'tially at 1'right angles] thereto; :and a plurality or lighting units-arrangedf-insaid polisl-i'edinner surfaces, .a plurality of light;

transmittingniembersyarrangednat opposite sides'of said casing, aplurality otlighting units' 'arranged in said. casing, the; majority-ofsaidlighting u11its"being3 arranged fabove;

a line throughthe centers of. said 'ligl'ittransmittingmemb rs, said"casing, being, further; a

provided with light transmitting members arranged adjacent its endportions and sub;

'stantially vertically arranged;

.3. "Apparatus off the character described "comprising a casing formedsubstantially as a ,9!)

an archwayadapted to be arranged above a. highway transverselythereof,light transcasing, and apluralityof lighting units'lar ranged insaid casi ng,' the majority: of Said lighting units being arrangedoutwardly I of j the 'median' lines of said light transmitting i amembers. W W V 4; Apparatus of the character described IP55 Apparatus.ofthe character described: comprising an arcuate casing arranged withits ends substantially; in a common horizontal plane, said casingbeingfada pted to" I be arranged above a highway transversely.v

.mittingmembers arranged at opposite sides j of said casing andconverging toward each other inwardly.substantially radially of said 1 fthereof, said casing including a top having a a reflecting innersurfaces and terminating at 'poin ts-above theends of said casing,a'plurality o t light transmitting plates arrangedatopposite sidesofsaid casing, light transmittlng means forming closures for theouterface ofsaid casing below the extremities of said top, and a-pluralityoflightingunits in said casing, the majority "of said lighting medianlines "of said light transmitting units being arranged outwardlyof the'6. An apparatus constructed in accordance with claim 5 WllBl'GlIl theinner face of said casing substantially throughout its a lengthcomprises a plurality of light transmitting media. a I

7. Apparatus oi the character described comprising a casing adapted tobe arranged above a highway trans\ 'ersely thereof, light transmittingmedia forming closures for the sides and bottom of said casing, a topcarried by said casing and bent to form angularly arranged inner faces,said faces being polished to form reflecting surfaces and a plurality oflighting units arranged in said casing.

8. Apparatus of the character described comprising an arcuate casingterminating at its ends in downwardly projecting leg portions havingtheir extremities arranged in a common horizontal plane, light transmitting members forming closures for the sides of said casing, lighttransmitting means forming closures for the outer faces of the lightingunits arranged in said casing, the ma or1ty of said units being arrangedouti \vardly of the median lines of? said light transmitting members.

9. An apparatus constructed in accord ance with claim 8 wherein said topisbent 1 to form a pair of conic sections having their inner facespolished to form reflecting surfaces. a

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

RAOUL on LA LAMA.

